According to reports, the Green Bay Packers and star safety Xavier McKinney have agreed to a four-year contract.
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have their safety, agreeing to terms with New York Giants star Xavier McKinney on the opening day of NFL free agency.
According to reports from ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it’s a four-year deal worth $68 million. Between signing bonus and salary, the contract includes $25 million in Year 1.
The deal was confirmed by the man himself.
Say cheese ! 🧀
— Xavier McKinney (@mckinney15__) March 11, 2024McKinney was the No. 1 safety available in free agency and our overall No. 1 free agent.
The 24-year-old McKinney – he’ll turn 25 on Aug. 9 – was a second-round pick by the Giants in 2020. He was healthy for only two of his four seasons – he missed half of 2022 following an ATV accident. In 17 games in 2021, he had five interceptions and 10 passes defensed. In 17 games in 2022, he had three interceptions and 11 passes defensed.
At the Scouting Combine, general manager Brian Gutekunst said he was looking for versatile safeties rather than specialists to fit new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s scheme, which relies on one safety to play deep coverage and another safety to play in the box to stop the run and limit the underneath passing game.
This is versatile: Of his 1,128 defensive snaps in 2023, 464 came at free safety, 388 came in the box and 167 came in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus.
Unlike any of Green Bay’s safeties from 2023, McKinney was productive with the ball production and 116 tackles. Unlike Darnell Savage, who agreed to join the Jaguars, he’s also an excellent tackler.
McKinney was our No. 1-ranked safety ahead of the 2020 draft.
He was a second-team All-American in 2019. A two-year starter at Alabama, he had five interceptions, 20 passes defensed and six forced fumbles.
“I think he would say a lot of great things,” McKinney said of renowned coach Nick Saban at the 2020 Scouting Combine. “Me and him, over the years, we’ve grown, our relationship has grown. At first, it was a little rough my freshman year. I used to think he didn’t really like me. But over the years, I think we’ve grown. He’s come to trust me, have a lot of trust in me and a lot of faith in me.”
This story will be updated. Refresh for updates.
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